Ling Ruoke glanced back at Rong Xiumei's back and thought to herself, "I still need to be careful of this person; the hatred in her heart is too heavy."
"Mom, don't be sad." Ling Ruoke knew very well that Yang Ziyun and Rong Xiumei used to be as close as sisters, and that she was partly to blame for how things had turned out this way. But she was unwilling to apologize, because she didn't think she had done anything wrong.
Yang Ziyun patted her hand and smiled gently. "If you're upset about such a small thing, wouldn't I have to spend every day in sadness? I've lived to be this old and experienced so much, I don't care about these little things anymore."
Ling Ruoke could only smile; she didn't know how to phrase it in a way that would best please Yang Ziyun. If she couldn't find a suitable answer, she might as well not say anything at all. "Mom, what kind of things do you want to buy?"
"Of course I want to see what my grandson will need! Strollers, clothes, toys, cribs—there's so much to see!" Yang Ziyun immediately became excited when she mentioned this.
Ling Ruoke was helpless. "Mom, the baby is still a long way from being born. Isn't it too early to start preparing now? Besides, we don't even know if it's a boy or a girl yet. It wouldn't be right if we bought the wrong one, would it?"
They can only have one child; if they buy the wrong one, they'll have to give it away. Although the Huo family doesn't care about the money, it's still too wasteful.
Yang Ziyun suddenly reached out and touched her belly, making Ling Ruoke blush with embarrassment. "It's probably a boy, your mother's intuition is never wrong. Besides, even if it's a girl, it's not impossible to dress her up as a boy when she's little. You know, when Qingfeng was little, I wanted to dress him up as a girl! A princess dress would have been so pretty, but that little guy wouldn't have it, haha..."
Recalling her son's childhood, Yang Ziyun appeared very happy. For everyone, it was an experience and emotional journey that can never be forgotten.
Ling Ruoke immediately pictured the colonel in a skirt in her mind and almost spat out her water. Then she thought, judging from the last photo, the colonel was quite cute as a child; she'd definitely look good dressed as a little girl. But then she felt a pang of regret; seeing the colonel dressed as a little girl would surely be hilarious.
Seeing Ling Ruoke smiling with her lips pursed, Yang Ziyun couldn't help but say, "You think it looks good too, right? Ugh, it's all that brat's fault, he just wouldn't listen." Her tone was full of resentment.
Ling Ruoke also felt a little regretful. "Mom, we're on the street now. Where do you want to look at things? Z City is very small, and the entire city center is just this small area. Besides supermarkets, the best stores selling maternity and baby products are not far away. However, Qingfeng and I have already been there; I bought my anti-radiation suit there."
“You can go your way, but my taste is different. Besides, what Mom and Dad buy and what Grandma buys are not the same, are they? Come on, let’s go to the best store. We don’t even need to look at those low-quality items.” With that, she pulled Ruoke forward. After taking a couple of steps, she remembered that Ruoke was pregnant and slowed down.
Ling Ruoke smiled faintly, thinking that Yang Ziyun was truly a person of deep feeling.
As soon as the two appeared at the store entrance, several waiters paused for a moment, but upon seeing Ling Ruoke, they immediately swarmed over. They remembered her face. Even though the man hadn't come, it didn't matter if the woman did, right?
Ling Ruoke was a little taken aback by their enthusiasm.
"Be careful, my daughter-in-law is pregnant. What if you bump into her?" Yang Ziyun frowned and began to make things difficult.
The waiters were stunned and it took them a while to come to their senses.
Ling Ruoke glanced around and noticed that the girl who had introduced them the night before wasn't there. She was probably off duty today.
"Hello, what would you like to buy?" Finally, one of the waiters reacted, raising a professional smile and reciting the familiar lines.
Ling Ruoke frowned subconsciously, then relaxed. This was just work, and there was nothing wrong with it; otherwise, who would have so much genuine sincerity to smile at strangers?
Yang Ziyun glanced around at the group and pointed to the girl who hadn't rushed over in the crowd but had instead walked towards them later. She seemed honest, and Yang Ziyun liked down-to-earth people. "Why don't you introduce her to us?" she said.
Ling Ruoke didn't say anything, just followed behind her. Today she was a supporting character, only responsible for echoing her. The child wasn't born yet, so she didn't have that kind of crazy shopping spree.
As it turned out, Ling Ruoke's prediction was correct; Yang Ziyun's shopping desires were on a completely different level compared to the couple's. She would compare prices for anything she thought she needed, and if she liked it, she'd buy it. She bought many maternity clothes alone, regardless of what Ling Ruoke said.
By the end, Ling Ruoke felt like she'd become a full-time model; she was exhausted. Taking her clothes off and putting them on repeatedly was truly a chore. Besides, the weather was cold, and she was worried she'd catch a cold if she kept going like this. She'd heard that pregnant women shouldn't take medication casually, and often when they caught a cold, they just had to tough it out until they recovered.
"Mom, can we stop trying? I'm a little tired." Ling Ruoke really couldn't hold on any longer, so she had to tell the truth.
Yang Ziyun was getting a little anxious and ordered the waiter, "Quickly, bring me a chair, hurry, hurry!"
Soon, the waiter brought over a round, soft stool for Ling Ruoke to sit down.
Yang Ziyun glanced at her face and, seeing nothing wrong, felt relieved. "Are you hungry? Should I have someone buy you something to eat? What would you like to eat?"
Ling Ruoke was about to say no, but then changed her mind. "I'd like a cup of hot milk." It would both replenish her nutrition and warm her up.
Yang Ziyun then instructed the waiter to go and buy it. Normally, the waiter wouldn't help with this kind of thing. But she had bought so much stuff, and the proprietress was counting on her to buy it all, so she quickly sent someone. "Why don't you sit here and rest for a bit, Mom will look around some more, okay?"
Ling Ruoke nodded and reached out to massage her sore calves. She used to get tired so easily; since becoming pregnant, she always felt exhausted, and her stamina seemed to have decreased significantly.
A short while later, the waiter returned with a steaming cup of milk and handed it to Ling Ruoke.
Ling Ruoke drank the steaming hot milk, feeling refreshed. She sat quietly to the side, watching Yang Ziyun chat enthusiastically with the waiter. She glanced at the things Yang Ziyun had mentioned buying; they were already piled up huge. If they bought any more, forget about the money; even carrying them home would be a problem.
After a while, Ling Ruoke started to get restless. But she didn't know what to say, so she just stared blankly at her empty glass. Completely bored, she took out her phone to browse websites and play games. On the way, she received a call from Aunt Hui, asking if they were coming home for lunch. "Mom, Aunt Hui asked if we're coming home for lunch?"
"Tell her to save the food; I'm busy right now."
Finally, Yang Ziyun had made her selections for the time being.
"Mom, do we really have to buy everything? There are some things we don't need to rush to buy. We can prepare them in a few months." Ling Ruoke has been frugal since she was a child and especially dislikes shopping sprees.
Yang Ziyun waved her hand dismissively. "Buy it. We've already spent so much time choosing; it would be a waste not to."
Ling Ruoke touched her nose, holding back her spitting out a mouthful. While time is money, she'd already spent both time and money; wouldn't that be losing both her time and her money?
Yang Ziyun bought everything, left her address, and asked the shop owner to deliver the items to her door.
Ling Ruoke felt a headache coming on when she heard the word "ten thousand." Buying things like this was really wasteful. The baby wasn't even born yet; who knew how many things she'd have to buy after the baby was born? Luckily, the house was spacious enough, otherwise there wouldn't be any room to put everything.
"Are you hungry? Let's find a place to eat first." Yang Ziyun wanted to wander around a bit more. She took off her coat; the shop was warm enough that she was sweating even in her overcoat.
Ling Ruoke nodded. "Okay." A short walk west from the doorway, there was a small shop selling dried fruit. "Mom, I want to go in and buy some plums or something."
The shop is really small, but business is booming, so it's packed with people. Outside, some vendors are setting up stalls, blocking the road. It's very inconvenient to get around, but there's nothing that can be done about it.
Yang Ziyun looked inside and found it difficult to even turn around. "There are too many people inside, don't go in. I'll go in and buy it for you. Find a quiet place to stand so you don't bump into anyone. You can hold onto the clothes for me."
"Okay." Ling Ruoke took the clothes and walked a few steps forward. Next to a stall selling lotus seed paste, there was a small empty space. It was a small corner, and most people wouldn't go there. The lotus seed paste was stored in a tall jar with a fire burning underneath, making it steaming hot. She stood next to it and felt warm.
She had only been standing there for a short while when Ling Ruoke's phone rang. She picked it up and saw it was Huo Qingfeng. She smiled and pressed the answer button. "Hello?"
"Honey, it's so noisy, haven't you come home yet?"
"Not yet. Mom wanted to buy some things, so she's out for a stroll. We just came from the baby and maternity store we went to the day before yesterday. Mom bought so many things, I was shocked! Also, all the sales assistants recognized us. As soon as they saw Mom and me, they rushed over. One of the sales assistants even asked me why the baby's father wasn't here. See, they remember how generous you are, haha..."
Huo Qingfeng chuckled softly. "That's a must. A man can be stingy with himself, but he can't be stingy with his wife and children."
Ling Ruoke smiled, pursing her lips. The two chatted idly, rambling on about this and that. Of course, the main topic was the newborn baby in her belly. Now, the entire Huo family was focused on this little one.
Based on the pregnant woman's preferences, Yang Ziyun selected several items and bought a considerable amount. Carrying the groceries outside, she looked around and spotted Ruoke. As Ruoke was squeezing through the crowd towards her, she suddenly saw a thug-like man rush towards her from behind. It was clear from his manner that he was after Ruoke, but Ruoke was engrossed in making a phone call.
"Ruoke!" Yang Ziyun shouted, rushing forward without thinking. Just then, the man shoved Ling Ruoke. Yang Ziyun lunged forward, shielding Ruoke. The force of the impact sent her crashing into a scalding hot jar behind her, letting out a scream.
"Mom!" Ling Ruoke's phone was knocked to the ground. She shouted and pulled Yang Ziyun away from the jar. Just as she was about to check on her injuries, she saw the person who pushed her trying to run away. Without thinking, she rushed over, kicked the person to the ground, grabbed him, and knocked him unconscious with a single blow.
He hurriedly grabbed his phone, only to find the battery had fallen out. He quickly put it back in and dialed 120 and 110. He rushed back to Yang Ziyun's side, anxiously checking her injuries. "Mom, how are you?"
Yang Ziyun was in a lot of pain, but she still waved her hand. "It's okay, it's just that my back hurts a little! Don't be nervous, don't run around, what if you bump into something?"
Ling Ruoke's eyes were filled with tears. If Yang Ziyun hadn't rushed over, she would be the one burned. Even though she was already injured, she was still worried about her, telling her not to get hit by anyone. "Mom, just bear with it, the ambulance will be here soon."
Yang Ziyun smiled, then gasped for breath with every movement. "Don't cry. Your mother has seen it all, this little injury is nothing."
Ling Ruoke bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes.
The sirens of ambulances could already be heard, and the police were on their way. Suddenly, several people darted out from all directions.
Ling Ruoke shielded Yang Ziyun behind her, watching them warily. She discovered they weren't there to attack, but rather to take advantage of the chaos to carry the person on the ground and run. She instinctively wanted to give chase, but Yang Ziyun held her back.
"Don't chase them. Your health is the most important thing. Don't worry, they won't get away." Yang Ziyun was very calm, and her tone even had the air of someone giving orders.
The ambulance arrived quickly, and Ling Ruoke and Yang Ziyun got in. In the ambulance, she hurriedly called her grandfather and briefly explained what had happened. They had just finished their call when the incident occurred, so Qingfeng probably didn't know about the accident. She decided not to notify him for now, to avoid worrying him.
Yang Ziyun's injuries weren't too serious; because she was wearing a sweater, it was only a minor burn. If she hadn't taken off her coat, she probably wouldn't have been in any trouble. The doctor applied some ointment and gave her painkillers.
Yang Ziyun's injuries had just been treated when her grandfather arrived with his guards. He was relieved to hear she was alright.
A group of people went to the police station to give their statements.
Huo Zhenbang slammed his fist on the table, demanding that the police station investigate the matter thoroughly and give them an explanation. He was a seasoned military commander, and his roar was powerful and authoritative, leaving the police officers somewhat bewildered.
After what happened, Yang Ziyun and Ling Ruoke naturally lost their mood for shopping and took a car home. Lunchtime had passed, and both of them were extremely hungry.
The nanny, Ahui, had left some food, which was still warming in the pot. As soon as Ruoke said she was hungry, she hurriedly ran to bring the food out.
After Yang Ziyun's injury was treated and she took painkillers, the pain has subsided.
However, today's events were clearly aimed at Ling Ruoke, and possibly even at the Huo family's bloodline, which makes the problem quite serious.
Ling Ruoke was persuaded by Yang Ziyun and Huo Zhenbang to go and rest. She had been walking around for several hours and was quite tired. Knowing that they must have something to discuss, she went back to her room to sleep.
Lying in bed, I thought about what had just happened, my mind racing with various possibilities. Perhaps I was truly exhausted, because I drifted off to sleep without realizing it. I slept soundly until evening before waking up.
When I came downstairs, only my grandfather and the guard were playing chess in the living room.
"Ruo Ke, you're awake." Huo Zhenbang stopped and looked at her with a smile.
Ling Ruoke moved a stool and sat down next to him to watch them play chess. "Grandpa, where are my mom and Aunt Hui?"
"Your mom went to rest, and Ahui went out to buy groceries. Your mom said you even taught that bastard a lesson today. Are you feeling unwell?"
Ling Ruoke shook her head.
"Don't be so impulsive next time. You're pregnant, so take it easy."
"Yes, I will. Grandpa, I'm sorry for making you worry." Ling Ruoke also felt that she had acted impulsively at the time. That person was just a small-time thug; it would have been troublesome if he had been a formidable opponent. She was pregnant now and really couldn't resort to violence anymore.
Huo Zhenbang looked at her, smiled, and was quite pleased with her obedience. "Ahui made you some soup, saying she'd give you a bowl when you woke up." He then asked a guard to bring the soup out.
Ling Ruoke sipped her hot soup while watching them play chess. After a bowl of hot soup, her stomach felt warm and she felt comfortable all over.
She has a low body temperature, and even in winter, the bed stays cold for a long time, especially during the day. If Huo Qingfeng is home, the blankets warm up immediately as soon as he gets into bed. But now that he's not home, she still feels cold lying in bed. Only after drinking hot soup has the chill dissipated.
Not long after, Ah Hui returned carrying groceries. As soon as she entered, she asked with concern, "Young Madam, I made some soup, have you had it?"
"I've already had it, it's delicious, thank you Aunt Hui," Ling Ruoke replied with a smile. Everyone treated her like a treasure, which truly made her feel flattered.
When Ahui heard that she had already drunk it, her eyes crinkled with a smile. "I'll go cook now, it'll be ready to eat soon."
Ling Ruoke quickly stood up. "Let me help you."
"No need. They're here. You can sit outside and relax. The kitchen is smoky." With that, she went into the kitchen to get busy.
Ling Ruoke had no choice but to sit back down and continue watching her grandfather and the others play chess. She sighed softly.
Normally, she cooks for herself or for many others, but now she's expected to be waited on hand and foot, which Ling Ruoke finds very difficult to adjust to. Everyone treats her like a porcelain doll, not letting her do anything.
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